CRYSTAL FORMATION ON THE INSIDE OF PIPES. Sonja and Charley. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effects of temperature on crystal growth in different types of piping. Using the chemical equation, MgSO4 (s) + NH4OH(l) + Na2HPO4 (s) à Mg(NH4)PO4(s) + Na2SO4(l) + H2O(l) , stoichiometry principles were applied to calculate masses of reactants needed to produce crystals in a precipitation reaction. It is necessary to use supersaturation to produce crystals, meaning that the cooled solution must have a concentration of dissolved chemicals above the normal saturation point. Each individual reactant must be heated and stirred before combining them into one beaker. There were nine beakers; a copper sample, black steel sample and PVC sample; one of each was placed in the oven, at room temperature, and in the fridge. The results showed that PVC is the least conducive to crystals growth and both the copper and black steel pipes were reactive and fostered crystal growth in the inside of the piping. The results in the oven illustrate that piping in high temperature environments are most likely to form crystals that could create blockages in wastewater treatment systems. Keywords: stoichiometry, precipitation reaction, supersaturation, crystal growth.
Material
Oven Results (A=87 °C )
Room Temp Results (B=20.5°C)
Fridge Results (C=5° C)
Copper
Blue around the edges around copper, white powdery crystals formed on sides of beaker, no water remaining, crystals formed all the way through copper tubing
Teal color, brightest blue of three copper samples, whole base of beaker is teal, crystals present through copper piping.
Watery, light blue around the copper, white powder on sides of the beaker, slight build up on top of copper piping. No define shaped crystals.
Black Piping
Brown and white powder looking crystals. Crystals all the way through the piping, no water remaining.
Yellowish around black piping, white on far edges of beaker. Crystals inside piping. White spots on the top of piping, no define shaped crystals, no clear structure.
Slightly watery still, crystals on whole bottom of beaker, lots of crystals on the inside of the piping. No define shaped crystals.
PVC
All white color. Crystals not attached to PVC at all. Smaller amount of crystals present, crystals in similar more uniform shapes then other oven results.
Watery white color. Slightly watery in beaker still, small crystals on top of PVC, no define shaped crystals.
Watery white color. Most watery of all samples, no crystals formed inside of PVC, slight crystal growth on bottom,
No define shaped crystals.
CRYSTAL FORMATION ON THE INSIDE OF PIPES. Sonja and Charley. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effects of temperature on crystal growth in different types of piping. Using the chemical equation, MgSO4 (s) + NH4OH(l) + Na2HPO4 (s) à Mg(NH4)PO4(s) + Na2SO4(l) + H2O(l) , stoichiometry principles were applied to calculate masses of reactants needed to produce crystals in a precipitation reaction. It is necessary to use supersaturation to produce crystals, meaning that the cooled solution must have a concentration of dissolved chemicals above the normal saturation point. Each individual reactant must be heated and stirred before combining them into one beaker. There were nine beakers; a copper sample, black steel sample and PVC sample; one of each was placed in the oven, at room temperature, and in the fridge. The results showed that PVC is the least conducive to crystals growth and both the copper and black steel pipes were reactive and fostered crystal growth in the inside of the piping. The results in the oven illustrate that piping in high temperature environments are most likely to form crystals that could create blockages in wastewater treatment systems. Keywords: stoichiometry, precipitation reaction, supersaturation, crystal growth.
No define shaped crystals.
Journal Article Citations:
Doyle J, Parsons S. 2002. Struvite Formation, control and recovery. Elsevier Science Ltd. [Internet] [cited 2010 March 1] Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V73-4448HSK-P&_user=10&_coverDate=12%2F31%2F2001&_rdoc=1&_fmt=full&_orig=search&_cdi=5831&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1222784
Stratful, M. Scrimshaw D, Lester J.N. 2001. Conditions Influencing the Precipitation of Magnesium Ammonium Phosphate. Elsevier Science Ltd. [Internet] [cited 2010 March 1] Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V73-4448HSK-P&_user=10&_coverDate=12%2F31%2F2001&_rdoc=1&_fmt=full&_orig=search&_cdi=5831&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1222784069&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=6f32d7926e0769b49eb8ad894a34a033#toc2